A man can be destroyed but not defeated.

-Ernest Hemingway

Recently, I came across an article describing how humans today are physically much weaker than our prehistoric, and recent ancestors.

Modern Man A Wimp

Reading the article made me think that with all of our technological advances life could have been made better in some regards and worse in others. (more…)

Running is, in actuality, not thoughtless!

- Chris Regnery

And You Thought Running Was Thoughtless? Part 3/3

This is the last part of this 3-part article. Up until now we have looked at what running does to oneself during the act of running, and we have seen how emotions and pain are not things that we should run away from in running.

To fight them is to fight against something that cannot be beaten without making yourself less of a person. In this last part, I get a little philosophical and a bit more in depth with my metaphor of running being like life. Forgive me if it comes off as a little heady, but hey, running for 5 hours at a time, sometimes you cant help but dig a little deeper into things.

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There are no securities in nature, life is either a daring adventure or nothing

-Helen Keller

And You Thought Running Was Thoughtless? Part 2/3

As the second and middle part of this article, I am going to share with you some thoughts on how emotions and sensations of pain are part of the journey as a

human, and how running can be a great metaphor for life. I will discuss how giving in to these sensations in running can teach you a great deal about yourself and help you grow not only as a runner, but as a person. Trying to suppress your emotions and running away from pain will leave an emptiness that many people will end up filling with money, sex, drugs, or alcohol. Working to incorporate these things also fills this emptiness and unlike the others, helps us to be better people. I think that this is a great metaphor and you can it and apply it to all areas of life. (more…)

Either things will get better, or you will black out on the pavement

- Dean Karnazes

And You Thought Running Was Thoughtless? Part 1/3

There are two schools of thought when it comes to distance running and how it is best to accomplish a set distance.

In one school there is the idea that the sport is running and that one should run through a race with no walking breaks outside of the necessary bathroom breaks and the time it takes to go through a checkpoint or refill a water bottle or backpack with supplies. You run the race as far as you can, then walk when you can no longer run, and if you have to, crawl, but you give it your all and leave everything out there, exposing yourself to your own limitations and pushing them to the edge.
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You need to listen to your body because your body is listening to you.

- Dr. Phil Mcgraw

Strong Mind and Spirited Body: II – Biofeedback

This is the second installment of a series of articles called:
A Strong Mind and Spirited Body.
The first installment was: A Strong Mind and Spirited Body – I

Picture yourself in a chair. Not that big of a stretch, I’d imagine. But in this chair visualize electrodes and sensors attached to various parts of your body, including your scalp, ears, and fingers.

Photo by geekgirly

All of a sudden, a buzzer sounds, and it won’t stop. You grow agitated and notice that this only seems to make the sound grow stronger. You relax and think about what to do next, which, not coincidentally, softens the annoying buzz. Through further experimentation of tensing and relaxing various muscles, as well as putting yourself into differing states of mind, you successfully get the noise to stop. But what just happened?

You completed a biofeedback session.
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A Strong Mind and Spirited Body – I

This is the first installment of a series of articles called: A Strong Mind and Spirited Body.

There is a very real connection between the mind and the body, one that must be constantly cared for and improved. A weak mind with a strong body is akin to a beautiful-looking car with a terrible engine. You must make your mind as strong as your body if you want to achieve total health, and vice versa. The connection between your mind and your body is a very real one, and you must respect that and continuously strive to strengthen that connection.

Photo by geekgirly
If you have ignored the idea of your mind, in regards to health, you can not be healthy. It is a necessary component to achieving total health.

Mind – Brain Dichotomy
Your body is a dichotomy, or a division into two parts. On the one hand, there is the body and everything physical. This is what is concrete, and what can be understood by using your five senses on a physical, not emotional, level. On the other hand, is your mind. This is not the physical brain, but more of an abstract concept of emotions and feelings. It is your conscious and subconscious experience. More subjective and open to interpretation, the mind can’t be pinned down as easily.
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